A dozen young pianists from the United States, China, Taiwan, Canada and Peru will play in PianoArts' biannual piano competition and festival Thursday through next Wednesday at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 1584 N. Prospect Ave., and the Marcus Center, 929 N. Water St.

The pianists, ages 16 to 20, are semifinalists in a process that began with 40 pianists submitting performances on DVD. They are competing for more than $25,000 in prizes, scholarships and fellowships. They'll perform solo and duo recitals during the weeklong festival and will be coached in master classes and discussions. | June 4, 2014»Read Full Article

Justin Reuther wasn't born in Milwaukee. But he was born in the music business.

"My father worked promotions for Capricorn Records and RCA in San Francisco, so I was exposed to that country rock, Laurel Canyon kind of sound, bands like Poco,the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers," Reuther said. | June 4, 2014»Read Full Article

In my column, I look at local and national print and TV news coverage of the stabbing attack in Waukesha by two young girls, reportedly inspired by a horror fiction website.

The site features a character named Slender Man whom the girls believed to be real and whom they hoped to impress with the attack. But did their access to the Internet make it a co-conspirator in the crime? One reader thinks so and probably isn't alone. He wrote: | June 4, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(1)

DUE OUT TUESDAY

NON-STOP (Universal) Liam Neeson plays a U.S. air marshal on a flight from New York to London who starts getting anonymous texts telling him that if $150 million isn't wired into a numbered account within 20 minutes, someone on the plane will die. With Michelle Dockery, Julianne Moore, Lupita Nyong'o. (PG-13; violence, some language, sensuality, drug references) ★★1/2 | June 4, 2014»Read Full Article

As Nashville shines the year's brightest light on the country music industry with this week's citywide CMA Music Festival, CMT joins the party with their annual Music Awards tonight at 7 on the cable network. It's sure to be a star-studded spectacle celebrating the year's best videos alongside performances from Blake Shelton, Brantley Gilbert, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and Lady Antebellum. Pop star Jason Derulo will join Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line for a special collaboration and John Legend will team up with Jennifer Nettles and Hunter Hayes. Kacey Musgraves and Lee Ann Womack will pay a special musical tribute to Alan Jackson's 25 years of music videos and stars from across the entertainment world will join host Kristen Bell to hand out the night's awards.

First, a big, real-deal museum show opens at the Milwaukee Art Museum, a 12-hour preview for members only. It's the art show of the summer: Kandinsky. Memberships start at $65 and you can sign up today. | June 4, 2014»Read Full Blog Post